Adding More Power To Your Swing

Now that the snow is gone from most of the country, and you have been working on your balance with the drills from last month (getting ready to tee it up for the first time this year) it is time to start working on developing more power in your golf body through golf fitness exercises.

Ask ten different Professional Golfers or Teachers where their Power comes from and they might all give a different answer.

I saw a segment on the Golf Channel where one Tour Pro swore that all his power came from his legs...that's it...his legs. Another might say that power comes from a strong hip turn, shoulder turn, core muscles. They may all be correct regarding their own swing because they have repeated that swing hundreds of thousands of times and figured out where their personal power comes from.

For us, the average golfers, we haven't hit as many balls or practiced as much as they have or had a personal coach to tell us where the power should come from. Here are a few simple tips that will help everyone start to develop overall strength in the muscles that are involved in the golf swing. By strengthening those areas of your golf body, you will be able to become more aware of your golf body and where your personal power should come from.

PGA Tour Professional Cameron (Cam) Tringale hosted the "Inside the PGA Tour" show on the Golf Channel last evening. They showed quite a bit of his training sessions at the Joey D Golf Academy in Jupiter, Florida. Here is a short segment where Cam is developing low back, mid back, pelvis, legs and core strength using a balance ball and a small weight.

Following are two more exercises using the balance ball, this time against a wall. The ball allows you to roll up and down in a squat position, staying in good posture, while pushing against the wall for more resistance. These movement patterns involves many of the lower body musculature that is so important in a solid posture and a powerful swing.




Here is former LPGA Pro Liz Janangelo with Balance Ball, PowerStance Loop and GolfGym Weighted Club 28.  She starts with the ball centered in the middle of her lower back, legs slightly bent (with the resistance loop around her legs) and a wide grip on the club. While pushing the ball firmly against the wall, move down into a squat position with the legs at a 90 degree bend and the club lifted directly above the shoulders. Hold this position for 15 seconds and return to start position. Repeat this movement 4 - 6 times. Another way to develop strength and endurance is to try to hold this position up to 1 minute.

Here is PGA Tour Pro Fredrik Jacobson with a variation of the squat above with Liz. Freddie uses two dumbbells to do bicep curls on the way up.  Freddie is in great condition and is using 20 lb dumbbells. Start with 5 or 10 lbs to get used to the movement pattern first. Repeat this set 6 - 8 times or as many as possible staying in good form.  Poor form will do you no good.

These exercises will help to develop strength in the upper and lower body which will definitely help in posture control and power from the feet up.

Good Luck with these!

Next up...Flexibility!